Eye of the Tiger - Harley Mae Chronicles, Book 2
by KaraLJ
Summary: After Caden died, Harley knew she was going to spiral out of control, that was why she left. She had to. Hidden in a basement, in a town she did not know, where no one knew her name she found herself struggling with two options. Follow the leads and find the answers, or let someone let someone else clean up the mess. Full Summary inside. SPN Sidekick. See profile for more info.
1. Introduction - Then and Now

Harley Mae Davis and her baby brother, Caden Ryan, spent their entire lives saving people, hunting things, fighting to keep the nightmares at by. They've been fighting for so long, neither can even remember the last time they had a normal moment, continuing their mother's work, her legacy, her lifelong goal and ultimately, the family business that would one day lead to her bitter demise. With the 1977 Mercury Comet, packed with guns, knives, machetes, and more, and a journal full of lure, signs, symbols, warnings and general information of years of hunting. They made it this far – without dying yet.

**Then**

I244 in Tulsa, Oklahoma changed their lives however. When a mysterious illness was sprung upon them, the Winchester brother saved them from rotting away under the hot summer's sun.

* * *

May 27th, 1996

John saved my children today. I don't know how he found them, or how he knew they needed his help, but he found them and saved them. Ryan's dead. The thing got him. We don't even know what it is. It almost hurt my little Cadey. I would have killed the thing myself had I been there. What I don't understand, is how Harley didn't try and stop it. She had one job. One freaking job. Watch your brother. And she nearly got the kid killed. Her excuse? 'I had to let the dog out, mommy,'

Anyway, today I realized how lucky I am to have a friend like John. His boys will become family to the kids, I have no doubt in my mind. His oldest, the quiet, obedient one, he was there to comfort Hars, I can't begin to appreciate that enough. Those kids are going to need them one day. I just hope they follow in their father's footsteps and come to their aid in their time of need.

Heaven help me, I will find your killer, Ryan, I swear on everything, I will.

~ ND

The year of the entry was scratched out, probably because my mother hated remembering the day dad died. I was only about 7. Caden barely 3.

I wracked my brain, trying to remember who had been there. I remember being scared to death, hating myself for letting Caden out of my sight, even for those mere minutes. It took me a moment, but when my eyes met his, I remembered.

"_Dean! Get the kids outside, now!" a man shouted, motioning to his son. The boy grabbed me by my arms and pulled me outside, my baby brother twisting, screaming bloody murder in his arms. Caden, always ready to bite a stranger who ever dared grab him, latched onto Dean's arm with savage eyes. _

"Oh my god," I whispered. I looked up once more, tears in my eyes. "You were there."

* * *

"Remember the first time we ended up on a hunt together?" Dean asked, looking at me with a serious expression now.

"Yeah, it was in St. Louis, the shape shifter, right?" I said, as that was the first clear memory I had of being on a case with him and Sam. We had been after a shape shifter that was terrorizing Sam's old classmates. Caden and I were supposed to cover another case, but we were drawn to that one in particular. Not that it worked out the way we planned.

"No. It was even before that. You were probably what, 16? It was when Sam was in college. You left Caden with some of his friends for the night, and we ended up chasing after that demon, remember?" he asked. I shook my head, having no real memory of that night. Probably because it was one that I had no urge to remember. Until now, that is.

"You held your own better than I expected that night. Even when you listened to the demon tell you how much your father hated hell and how much pain he was in down there, you didn't even flinch. Even when it threw me straight across the room with just a flick of it's wrist, pinned you down where you laid. Harley, you were so brave, so completely emotionless...it was almost scary. Especially for a kid your age. And when you stabbed the thing in the chest, the look in your eyes...I never saw someone kill with that much pleasure," he said. I think that was the most I'd ever heard Dean say at once before.

I blinked, taking in everything he said. I tried to remember that night, but I just couldn't. I don't really remember any night that I didn't spend hovering over Caden, waking for him to fall into a deep enough sleep to feel safe enough to get an hour or two for myself, before his nightmares would wake us both up in a cold sweat. Caden's nightmares scared me. He couldn't really remember them when he woke up, but he's scream so loud, a bone chilling scream. They always left us both exhausted and too afraid to sleep. Thinking of that, made me long to be back at my brother's side, knowing exactly where he was, knowing that should he wake in fear, I'd be right there to comfort him as I had been for the last 18 years.

"You don't remember that night, do you?" Dean asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Not in particular, no," I said honestly.

* * *

"Cade's missing," I said.

"This box...It's ancient. It holds great power to those who successfully open it. I was under the impression it was destroyed years ago," he murmured.

But the words couldn't come fast enough. My concentration was broken when I heard the bloodcurdling cry of pain ahead of me. I smelled the blood long before I saw it. I saw his body twist from pain, his eyes widen, then stair blankly. A look that would haunt me the rest of my life. I heard the chair fall over, saw his hair flip as he head fell to the side, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

And I howled. Like a wounded animal, I howled.

* * *

"Ante noctem est super,

Ante facinus patratur,

Exaudi vocem meam pro misericordia,

Enim inpotens filium.

Patefacio propositum animi

Fractaque non solus,

Cum hoc arca archa,

Tibi dabo sperare,

Sacrificium ut tam carus.

Aperi!

Aperi!

Expelle eos ad inferni!

Aperi!

Aperi!

Expelle eos ad inferni!" The last phrase came out with so much force, so much pure hatred, my words ringing clear, my voice booming over the sounds of the scuffle to my left.

* * *

Dean laid motionlessly in a pool of his own blood, a gaping hole in his stomach. His face was ashen, his lips turning blue.

Caden was dead.

* * *

And let me tell you something. When you get thrown around by a magical box, walk 8 miles to and from a car in the middle of the night, donate half your blood in the most idiotic of ways, drag three bodies up the stairs, then walk another four miles to retrieve the car, _then_, drive ten hours, you're ready to fall asleep and never wake up by the time it's over. Shoot, I'd been awake for four days at a time before, but never under such circumstances. It didn't help that the entire time, I was fighting back tears.

Half way to Bobby's I pulled over to the side of the road, nearly asleep at the wheel again, only this time, Sadie was barking every few seconds to keep me from crashing the Impala. Yeah. Smart dog. I nudged Sam and told him to drive the rest of the way. We traded spots, and with one hand on the dog's collar, the other supporting my arm, I fell asleep. It didn't even take a whole second. Sleep just came.

Maybe it was exhaustion, or maybe it was my mind's way of letting me cope. In less than 24 hours, I watched my mother evaporate into thin air or be blown to bits, I didn't know which, my baby brother die, and one of the closest people to me, nearly followed the same pattern.

I think there might have been a reason the Winchester boys were with me that night. Maybe it was Sam's physic mumbo-jumbo that brought on the Latin that just so happened to open the box, or maybe it was luck. Since I didn't believe it luck, I let it all fall onto fate. Not that I believed in that either.

Whatever the reason, I was grateful.

Once again, the Winchesters pulled through for my seriously screwed up family.

* * *

Dean was convinced she was going to off herself. That losing her brother would send her over the edge. He tried every number he had for her, every connection he had, everything, just to bring her back. Sam tried to tell him that maybe she just needed time alone for a while. Dean wouldn't take that. He kept calling. He kept looking for her. Not even Cas could find her. She had hidden herself, and would remain that way until she chose to be found.

Weeks passed. Caden was buried in a patch of land a few miles from Bobby's house, his resting place marked by a beautiful maple tree. Harley didn't know that though. All she knew was that her brother's body was decomposing somewhere.

She hide herself in a small underground basement of what was once a house, out in the middle of the woods. In which state, she couldn't remember. She lived off the land, hunting with Sadie, who had since become her only friend. There, she remained for the first two weeks after Caden was killed.

And there she remained, until the hunt finally forced her to come back into society.

* * *

**Now**

"Sadie, c'mon girl," she called as she walked up the rotting staircase, her pace slow, forced. Her hands ran along the walls, chips of paint covering her hands as she led the way. Sadie followed close behind, her nose always pressed against Harley's leg.

Once outside, Harley made her way over to where the Comet was hidden, the black car nearly invisible under the leaves, grass and twigs. Unlocking the front door, she let the dog in and followed in after her, letting her hands fall on the knife that sat in the passenger seat, a constant reminder of who she was. The handle of the knife had three initials carved deeply into the wood, CRD, Caden's knife. She let her fingers linger on the handle for a moment, before turning the key in the ignition, listening as the car purred to life.

"I should have had Dean tune 'er up before running off," she said to Sadie. The dog whined in response, her tail wagging against the vinyl. Laughing at the fond memories she had of the pair, she drove off, listening as the car's motor rattled loudly, a sound she had grown to hate more and more each day.

She'd only been gone two weeks, but in that time, she realized how much she missed the fight, missed the guys, Dean in particular. Above all else, she missed Caden. For her, it was unrealistic to sleep a full night without waking up to wake him from a nightmare. For her, it was unnatural to only be looking out for herself and the dog at her side. For her, having no one to talk to, other than Sadie, was something she'd never encountered before. And it made her feel more and more alone in the world.

As she drove, she noticed that her phone was buzzing. Pulling over, as to be able to actually see who it was and not crash into a tree, she looked at the missed call log.

47 missed calls. 15 from Dean. 10 from Dean's other phone. 2 from Sam, the rest from various hunters and friends of Bobby's, Dean's, and/or Sam's. Dean had basically put out a hunter's version of an Amber alert. Every hunter they knew was looking for her, or at the very least, keeping an eye out for the young hunter who seemed to drop off the face of the planet.

"He's going to drive himself insane looking for me," she said to Sadie, shaking her head. "I wish he'd take the damn hint already."

Sadie barked in response, this time, clawing at the window.

Harley drove all the way to a local bar, her hands shaking as she locked the car, slipping the orange harness over Sadie's head. The black writing read **Service Dog **across the back. Clipping a new, bright pink leash to the harness, she walked inside. When the bartender asked about the dog, she simply explained that the dog was in training, and in order to complete said training, she was to accompany Harley wherever she went.

She'd been using that cover for the last two weeks, and so far, it'd never failed. She sat down at the same table she had for the two weeks she had been in the town, her hands reaching for her laptop bag. The first thing she did when she got to town, was buy a new laptop since she refused to go to a library. Not when Dean was having everyone and their mother looking out for her. She paid in cash for everything, leaving no way of tracking her movements.

"Hey, kitten, whatcha havin'," the bartender called from behind the bar.

"The regular," she replied. She always ordered a double bacon cheese burger with extra bacon and a Dr. Jager, which was half Jagermeister, half Dr. Pepper.

"Comin' right up," he said as he turned to the wall of various liquors.

"Sadie, sit," Harley said halfheartedly to the dog at her side. Sadie whined and tried to move, but Harley's grip on the leash was too taunt to allow her anymore leash than that that was needed to sit or lay down. For some reason, Sadie was always antsy in the bar.

She ate in silence as she scrolled through unread emails. She knew Sam and Dean both had her email, but neither had gone as far as to contact her via the internet, which she was grateful for. It was one less problem she had to deal with. She did, however, had several emails from a "Johnathan O'Ryan" who she knew to be an ex-hunter off in New York City last she knew. She moved them to the folder marked "Read Later" and made a mental note to actually read them at some point.

"Davis," someone said as strong hands fell on her shoulders. She turned quickly, nearly knocking her laptop off the table in the process.

"Who are you?" she hissed. The man looked strangely familiar, but she couldn't put a name to the face. Then again, she never was good with names.

"You should know," the man said as he sat down next to her, his hand still on her shoulder. "You saw me everyday for the last two weeks."

"I'm sorry, I don't remember your name," she said tiredly. Even though it was only about 6 in the evening, Harley was exhausted. Then again, she was going on a week with little to no sleep. It was only natural.

"I'm Johnathan, haven't you checked your emails?" he said coolly, nodding at the laptop in front of them.

"Actually, I haven't. But either way, hi," she said. She didn't use her real name as her email name, on her email, she was under Davis Ryan, a name her brother used to use when they booked into crappy hotels. If she looked hard enough, she could probably find the old credit card he used too, but that would involve returning to Bobby's, which she had no intention of doing.

"Well if you had, you'd have known that Dean's still up my ass about finding you. You know that guy has all the hunters I know and then some looking for you?" he said as he waved to the waitress, who came over with a smile. "Two beers," he said as he nodded to her. She hurried over to the counter to get the drinks. "On me," he said as Harley looked at him skeptically.

"I'm aware," she said as she acknowledged his earlier statement. "Dean's a good man," she added, her heart breaking as she thought about him.

"So why ya running from him?" he asked, taking a sip of his beer when the waitress sat it down in front of him.

"Because...I'm dealing with a lot of stuff," she said as her hands ran through Sadie's fur. The dog growled softly, her eyes locked on Johnathan.

"Well you should call him. He's worried," he suggested. "That ain't why I've been watching you tho. I happen to know you never run away from a hunt, right?"

"Under normal circumstances no, but like I said, I'm dealing with a lot right now," she said warily.

"Well this case seems right up your alley," he said. "You bein' an animal lover 'n all," his accent coming clear now. I noticed a hint of the South in his mannerism, and it was actually refreshing.

"I'm a hunter, not animal control," she sighed.

"The case is a case, darling. Something with claws and teeth, and a knack for leaving nothing behind," he said, almost eagerly.

"Werewolf?" she suggested, taking a sip of her beer. She wasn't a huge beer drinker, but wouldn't pass up a free drink.

"The hearts are always intact," he said with a shake of his head.

"I don't know then, Shifter? Skin-walker?" she was tired, and her mind wasn't really catching up with the facts laid out in front of her.

"Here's the big kicker, whatever it is, it hunts like a wildcat. Claws, really, really sharp claws," he said.

"Where's this taking place?" she asked, too tired to really want the case, but her mother's most common orders stuck in her head. _Never let your personal shit keep you from doing you job. When something comes up, you go and check it out._

"North Dakota," he said. " 'An the only reason I ain't tell them Winchesters is 'cause it's up your alley more 'en theirs. You're good at the freaky and furry," he laughed.

That was true. She was naturally good at researching, hunting, and ultimately killing, anything with fur. Werewolves, Skin-walkers, anything with fur. Then again, that all fell back on a Werewolf being my first kill. Even if she normally overlooked it. While Sam and Dean were practically gods of the hunter world, they just weren't as good as she was at killing the 'freaky and furry' as Johnathan had called them.

"You want me to go check it out, don't you," she asked, her heart sinking.

"Bingo," he said with a smirk. "You've been under a rock for the last two weeks, go kill something. Get back to the norm. And for cripes sake, call Dean." With that, he stood and slammed a folder down on the table, followed by two ten dollar bills. She looked at him funny, but didn't question it.

After he was gone, she paid for her drink and meal, and grabbed the folder, too tired to be bothered with anything else. Sadie followed her outside eagerly, her tail wagging the moment they were outside. She let the dog into the car before sliding in after her.

She ended up parking the car on the side of the road a mile from where she had been staying. Her entire body was shaking from effort of staying awake. It took all she had just to roll down the window and lock the doors, before she was out like a light.

* * *

_A/n;; Full Summary - After Caden died, Harley knew she was going to spiral out of control, that was why she left. She had to. She hung up her guns and left the business, despite the longing for normality. Hidden in a basement, in a town she did not know, where no one knew her name (or so she thought) she found herself struggling with two options. Follow the leads and find the answers, or let someone else clean up the mess, one of which, she specialized in. When the Winchesters save her yet again, she finds herself facing a new challenge, as her feelings for Dean become clear, feelings she'd never had to face before. Follow Harley as she deals with loss, heartbreak and despair in **Eye of the Tiger.**_ _Rated M for later chapters. _

_Disclaimer - I do not, nor will I ever, own any piece, character, or otherwise of Supernatural. All characters, plots, ect belong to the producers and creators.  
_

_Book 2 in the Harley Mae Chronicles.  
_


	2. Chapter 1 - On The Road Again

I woke some time later to the sound of Sadie growling. It wasn't her normal, warning growl either. This was a vicious, bloodthirsty growl that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I sat up quickly, my hand pulling the knife from the seat where she sat. She growled again, this time, lunging at the windshield, her claws digging at the vinyl, sending chills up my spine.

"East, Sades, let's not ruin the car," I said softly, my hand reaching for her harness. She growled again, her teeth snapping at my hand. Her fur was standing on end, her growls coming closer and closer together. I looked around but saw nothing but the pitch blackness the trees provided. I turned around, my free hand searching for the flashlight I kept in the pouch behind the passenger seat. When I found it, I quietly opened the door, my hands now full, between the knife and flashlight in one, the other gripping tightly to Sadie's harness, though if she wanted to take off, there would be no stopping the large dog.

I shined the light around, looking for whatever set Sadie off. She was still growling, but didn't make any effort to leave my side. I saw nothing, and heard only the sounds of the crickets and owls in the trees. Finally, I gave up and forced Sadie back into the car, which proved harder than it sounded. Once we were both inside, I turned the key in the ignition, but kept the headlights off. I knew the road well enough to know it in the dark, especially since no one would be using it at 3 in the morning. How the hell I slept that long, was beyond me.

As soon as I turned onto the dirt path that led to my basement hideout, I switched the headlights on, grateful that Sadie had calmed down. I used the light to find my normal parking spot, which was a quarter mile from the basement, between bushes and trees, making it hard to spot the car, even if you knew where to look. It also made for a difficult parking spot to find when you're trying to drive in the dark.

Eventually, I parked the car and turned around, my hands gripping at Sadie's leash. I clipped it to her harness and let her out, wrapping the leash around my wrist several times. I grabbed my duffel bag and laptop from the back seat before slamming the door shut. Sadie let out a growl the second the lights dimmed, pulling at the leash.

"Sades, enough," I growled, not really wanting to have to run just to keep up with her. She growled again, then I felt her sit down, right on my foot. She lifted her head and howled. It was the worst sound in the entire world. A sound of pure sorrow and despair. I shined the flashlight around to see what could have set her off, and was surprised when I saw what looked like a dead fox across the path. I led Sadie forward, struggling to balance everything in my arms, and knelt down next to the creature. It wasn't a fox, but a puppy of some sort. It's throat had been ripped out, it's body nothing but a bloody, furry mess. I sighed and kicked it into the bushes, before pushing forward. Sadie whined, but followed next to me, no longer pulling.

When I finally got to the basement, I turned on the lights, flinching at how bright they were. I tossed my bag on the pile of blankets, before setting my laptop down on the floor. I unclipped Sadie's leash and smiled as she padded over to the makeshift bed and laid down, her huge head landing on her front paws.

I switched on the laptop and waited for it to boot up. While it was doing so, I walked over to the sink and looked in the mirror. My now choppy semi-brown hair looked off, even now. I had cut and dyed it after I left, and hated it more and more with each passing day. I sighed and slashed water onto my face, letting the icy touch burn away the tension.

Sadie's eyes followed me throughout the basement as I paced back and forth, silently fighting with myself over whether or not I would take the case. My mother's words echoed in the back of my mind, making it near impossible to say no. Yet the memories of losing both her and my brother, as well as nearly costing Dean his life, were fresh in my mind. It was a 'damned if I do, damned if I don't' kind of situation.

Once my laptop was on and ready, I sat down on the pile of musty blankets and started pulling up the news for North Dakota. Sure enough, there was a long list of deaths that were summed up as "Animal Attacks". All within a 20 mile radius, all with abnormal qualities. There was no defined 'pattern', but I was certain that if I went to North Dakota and took a look at the bodies, I'd come up with something the examiner missed. That was normally how these kinds of things worked.

The problem was, Caden was normally my distraction. He'd keep the examiner busy, while I nosed around. Without him, I wasn't too sure I'd be able to get in and out without raising suspicion. We normally used the "FBI agent" persona when looking at bodies, but Caden was young, but very, very convincing. I, on the other hand, looked nothing like any kind of cop. In the worst case scenario, we would call Bobby or Sam and Dean to come help us out. But seeing how Cade was dead, and I wasn't about to get back in the mix with the boys or Bobby, I had to decide if the case was one I was willing to take.

With that said, I scrolled through my emails, and noticed that Cody Johnson had recently emailed me. I decided I may as well read it, since I never did get back to him about the London Werewolf attack.

"Harley,

The werewolves left London. And it turned out they weren't wolves to begin with. Several hunters will killed, along with a lot of innocent people. I thought you were gonna call me back about it? You better still be alive. Dean got a hold of me a few days ago and said you went AWOL. Listen to me, and listen good. Your mama ain't raised no pussies. She raised you to be a damn good hunter, and when a case comes up, you take it, even if it means getting yourself killed to do so. So you better be alive on about to get on this case or dead, your ashes spread across the fucking ocean. Because if you're running from this, this life, this case, whatever, I'm gonna hunt you down and put a bullet in your head myself. You're the daughter of Nikole fucking Davis, and she ain't raised no pussies.

Listen, word has it the werewolves...er, whatever they are, are in the Dakotas. North last I heard, but heading South. From what Dean said, they've got their hands full at the moment, but girl, I swear to god, if you don't get your ass on this case, there'll be hell to pay. Go check it out. Oh, and call Dean back would'ya? It just ain't right how you're lettin' that boy think you're dead or somethin'.

Better listen to me,

~ CJ"

I sighed and looked at my phone, my heart screaming at me to call Dean, whereas my better judgment was telling me to stay my distance for a while. With that said, I instead, dialed Sam's other, other, _other_, phone, and hoped he'd answer it, rather than let it go to voicemail.

Since leaving Bobby's house, I had changed all my numbers, except for my main cell, and I knew that with any luck, Sam nor Dean would have gotten a hold of the number I was calling from.

It was much to my relief when I heard Sam's voice on the other end of the line.

"Are you alone?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"Are you alone?" I repeated.

"Sort of. Now who is this?" he repeated.

"Sam, it's me," I said, clearing my throat.

"H-," he started but I cut him off.

"Don't. Don't. And don't you dare let Dean know you heard from me," I said quickly.

"Alright, what's wrong?" he asked, his tone changing.

"Nothing. I'm just letting you know I'm alive. So don't let Dean worry himself crazy over it, alright?" I said, tears threatening to pour from my eyes.

"Okay, but why won't you just call him?" Sam asked.

"I have my reasons," I sighed. "Listen, there's a case in the Dakotas. I'm not sure how close to Bobby's I'll end up, but if you guys wrap up before I'm through, give me a ring alright? I might need backup on this one," I said slowly, carefully.

"Where are you right now?" he asked. I could almost see the look on his face.

"Somewhere. I'm okay though," I said with little truth. "I'll be heading that way eventually. Just be ready, alright?" I begged.

"Always am. It'd help if you told me what's going on though," he said. His tone made it clear that he was annoyed with my lack of information.

"Remember the case from London a few weeks ago?" I asked, hoping he did.

"Yeah?"

"Well it's here, now," I sighed. "At least now I'm willing to take it."

"Okay. Any clue what you're up against?" he asked.

"I have a hunch," I admitted. "I want to get over there and look around before anything else, but I have a fairly good idea. I've only came across one in all my years of hunting, and that was only by chance," I added.

"And that would be..?" he let the question drop off.

"I'll let you know when I'm sure," I said with a smile. "I promise, as long as you don't tell Dean we had this conversation," I added.

"Fine. Take care of yourself, okay?" he asked.

"I will," I said. I hung up and sighed, letting Sadie crawl into my lap. I leaned back, my head resting against the wall, the warmth radiating off Sadie's long, thick fur.

"How did we get so screwed up?" I asked her. She barked softly in response.

I wasn't entirely sure if I would actually take the case, but I knew from my own personal experiences, that if it was what I suspected, I'd have no choice but to. Whereas most hunters are great at multiple monsters, I happened to have more experience in anything animal-like. That, and pulling a chant, spell, or otherwise out of my ass when the situation called for it. Caden used to say I had demonic esp, though I wasn't convinced. I just had years of practice, and years of nothing but reading through our mother's "library" under my belt. It happens when you only spent 2 years of your life in school, the rest of the road learning from whoever, whenever.

I wasn't thrilled to have to leave my cozy hideout, but I knew if I didn't check that case out, I'd drive myself crazy. As much as I didn't want to be on the job without Caden at my side, I knew if Caden was in my shoes, he'd take it, no questions asked. Anyway, while I was at it, I figured I may as well look into a way to resurrect my brother. Despite knowing that any such deal would cost my soul and then some, for another year or two with Caden, it'd be worth it. I'd had given my left lung to bring him back if that was what it would cost.

As I walked to the car, my belongings in hand, I realized that I had been silently praying to whoever was upstairs, that everything would work itself out. I wish I could say I had faith that my prayers would be answered, but they never were before, why start now?

I tossed my bags in the back seat, before walking back down the path to retrieve my blankets. Even though I planned to return to the basement when I was done with the case, I wanted to make sure what little I had was with me. The two blankets I did manage to hold on to all these years, were very important to me, even though they were just two ratty old comforters. They held sentimental meaning, and for me, that said a lot.

After I put those in the car, I pushed Sadie in, even though she was being stubborn again. She whined and tried to get out of my grip, but having been through the same routine several times in the last we had to get in the car, she didn't manage to get away.

Once in the car, I turned on the lights and looked at the map. It took me a few minutes to remember where I was. To be quite honest, when I ran from Bobby's, I just sort of drove wherever the Comet would take me. I remembered the name of the town I was in, only because I had a receipt from the supermarket I stopped at when I first got to town, to buy food for Sadie. The dog didn't eat much, but it was easier to keep her fed, then listen to her growl and beg every time I brought home a hamburger. I was in Ackerly, Texas. Almost a full day's drive from North Dakota, which meant I'd have to crash somewhere along the way. Not exactly my favorite plan, but it'd have to work.

Settling on the easiest path, I pulled the Comet out of my hiding place and made for U.S Route 87. I would have much rather taken the longer, scenic route, but time was being wasted as it was, and I really wasn't in the mood to navigate through all the damn twists and turns.

I shoved my mixed tape into the radio and sighed, ready for the long ride ahead. Or at least, as ready as I could possibly be.

* * *

_A/n;; Sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I had a few too many ideas buzzing through my head. Haha. As always, any form of feedback is greatly appreciated! Hope everyone has a great weekend!_


	3. Chapter 2 - FMLYHM

After over 15 hours in the car, and only stopping twice, once to let Sadie pee, another to fill up the tank, I was well beyond exhausted. Subconsciously, I had taken the round about route to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Maybe I was remembering Cody's email saying the monster was heading South, or maybe, just maybe, I wanted to crash somewhere familiar. Sighing, I turned onto Bobby's property, vaguely surprised to see the Impala as I drove up the path. I parked behind it, debating on whether or not I really wanted the inevitable to happen. After a few extra minutes in the car, and Sadie barking, wagging her tail like crazy, either because she had to pee again, or because she sensed the presence of the two guys she happened to fall in love with a few weeks prior, I decided it was not the right time. I was not ready to deal with Dean's over protective, overbearing attitude, Bobby's worried glances, and Sam's overly obsessed way of researching. I needed to take care of this case alone, no matter how much I wanted or needed back up.

I pulled out of the lot, keeping my headlights off until I hit the road. Sadie whined, looking completely devastated. It took me a moment to come up with a plan, but eventually, I did. I pulled over to the side of the road and pulled out my pad of paper. I scribbled a quick note and tucked it into Sadie's harness, before pushing open the passenger side door. Sadie looked at me doubtfully for a moment, but took the hint, jumping out of the car, her paws making a light thud when they hit the pavement.

"Sam," I said simply. She barked, then took off in the general direction of Bobby's house. The young mutt was smart, smarter than any dog I'd ever met before, so I had no doubt that she'd make her presence known. Closing the door, I stepped on the gas and sped off, in hopes that with a head start, I could get away before anyone had the sense to come after me.

I ended up booking into a cheap, run down motel a few cities over, figuring that I'd be safe there. I took advantage of the shower, before laying down on the stiff mattress. I hadn't slept on a real mattress in weeks, and it felt great to be clean and able to sleep semi-comfortably.

* * *

I woke up way earlier than I planned the following morning, to the sound of someone kicking the door open and four, very heavy, very sharp-clawed paws landing on my chest, a wet tongue blinding me.

"Sadie?" I yelped, rolling off the bed so fast, I hit the floor face first. Not my most graceful moment. I jumped to my feet, my hand instinctively grabbing the gun from under the pillow, my vision still blurred.

"I should beat the living hell out of you," an all too familiar voice rang off the walls, booming loudly, causing me to set the gun down without a second thought.

"Dean," I whispered. I rubbed my eyes and blinked, making sure it wasn't a dream.

"Harley," he said, his voice low, but dripping with emotion.

"How did you find me?" I asked. I had covered my tracks better than ever before.

"Sadie knew where you were," he said with a shrug. I looked at my faithful friend and sighed. She wagged her tail happily, leaving muddy paw prints on the light green blankets.

"I really wish you wouldn't have come," I sighed. I grew uncomfortably aware that I was clad in only a thin, practically see through camisole and a very short pair of shorts. I looked around for my sweatshirt, which was sprawled across the chair by the window. Dean followed my gaze and tossed it to me, before shutting the door, his face masking all emotion.

I pulled on the oversized sweatshirt and ran my hands through my all too short hair, sighing as Sadie rammed her nose into my hips, sending chills up my spine.

"Take a seat," I told Dean as I walked over to the grimy looking coffee maker and flipped the switch, hoping it'd brew coffee that was actually drinkable. After I was sure the damn thing was on, I walked over to the bed and sat down, tucking my bare feet under my legs, the blanket now pulled across my shoulders.

"Well?" I asked Dean, my eyes locking on his, my heart melting at the look on his face.

"You have no freaking idea," he said softly, his tone almost too Sam-like to be his own. "You have no idea how worried we were about you," he sighed, his eyes dropping to the floor. "Then Sadie comes barreling up the drive, barking madly, damnit, Harley, we thought you were dead."

"I left a note," I pointed out. Sadie was sprawled on the floor beneath me, her tail thumping lightly on the floorboards.

"Yeah, and it was splattered with blood for crying out loud," Dean nearly shouted. He tossed the crumpled piece of paper to me, and much to my surprise, sure enough, it had blood splattered on it. Not my blood. But definitely blood.

I opened the note and saw that blood had smudged a lot of the writing. The only clear words that could be made out were **'Don't try to find me, I need to handle this on my own. Take care of Sadie. I'll find you soon enough.'** I looked down at Sadie, and noticed the blood that covered her foreleg. I hopped off the bed and knelt next to her, my hand running down her chest and front leg, looking for a source of the blood. Thankfully, I didn't think the blood was hers.

"She must have found something to kill before she ran up to the door," I stated with a shake of my head. "The blood's not hers. Or mine," I added. I looked up at Dean, who looked ready to kill something, or rather, kill me. "Dean, I'm really sorry, but I really want to do this alone," I sighed.

"Like hell you are," Dean growled. What happened next, to this day, confuses me.

Dean came over to me and grabbed me tightly, his hands locking my arms to my sides, his warm, chapped lips colliding with mine is such a fashion, I could taste the blood from my teeth cutting into my own lips. He kept me there for all too long, breaking apart only to let me breath for a moment. His strong arms lifted me up, pressing me against the walls, his embrace all too much to take in.

His lips became urgent, his touch sending shock-waves throughout my body. Both emotionless and compassionate, urgent but careful, the movements were almost natural, meant to be. His warm, strong hands kept us from breaking apart, not that I would have dared to do so. My legs instinctively locked around his waist, as he kept me pressed against the wall, panting now, the only true sounds were those of our own heart beats. Heart beats making the soundtrack to our awkward, yet completely unique experience.

The minutes passed so much faster than I care to admit. One minute, he was practically scolding me for running, the next, we were laying side by side on the twin mattress, gasping for air, our bodies slick with sweat. It was an amazing, truly breath taking experience, but all the same, it scared me. I rolled onto my side and looked at him, my eyes locking on his, my hands pressed tightly down on his chest.

"What?" he asked breathlessly.

"What was that?" I asked. I let my weight collapse next to him, only now supported by my elbows, my face still only inches from his.

"Spur of the moment?" he asked. I laughed at that, taking absolutely no offense to his weak attempts to explain what had just taken place.

"Well, if that's gonna happen every time I disappear without a word, I'm going to vanish more often," I teased. I stood up and grabbed my bag, making a bee line to the small, disgusting looking bathroom.

"Where are you going?" he whined. I looked over my shoulder and shrugged. "You woke me up, I'm going to take a shower," I laughed.

"Hurry up," he teased. I laughed and closed the door behind me. I laid the camisole down on the shower floor, not willing to step barefoot on the dirt stained tile, before letting the water run to a boiling steam. I stepped in and smiled to myself, feeling, for once, like a lovestruck school girl. If it had been under better circumstances, I probably would have let the childish fantasies remain. But with a case to investigate, and a still somewhat angry man in the room next to me, I was more than eager to get the day over with, despite how remarkable the morning had turned out to be.

After I was showered and dressed in a pair of loose fitting jeans and a plain, black t-shirt, I put my short hair up into a messy ponytail before opening the door, to find Dean holding a cup of coffee up to my nose.

"Drink," he ordered. Without question, I did. The heavenly warmth of the jet black liquid gave me the energy I needed to ask the questions I needed answers to.

"So are you and Sam going to tag along?" I asked as I sat the cup down, throwing my belongings into the small, easy to carry duffel bag.

"Depends. What sort of case?" he asked. I tossed him the file I had managed to find a few nights earlier, filled with the latest killings, as well as what I was using as a good enough lead.

"I'm thinking Ailuranthrope," I said, tripping up on the word for the millionth time. "Werecat more or less," I added.

"I've never heard of them. You sure they're real?" he asked, looking up from the papers.

"I've encountered one before. So did my mom," I sighed. I tossed him one of my mother's journals after I pushed the last of my things into the bag. "They're a lot like werewolves, only more cat-like. And they actually turn, completely. Normally a big, wild cat, like a tiger or leopard. They're native to Antarctica and Oceania, but it's not unheard of that they're in the states too," I explained. "It's the same thing Cody called about back before...well before everything. They migrated here from London, from what I'm understanding. From what little I could dig up, it looks like there's a small pack of them, which is strange, because werecats normally hunt alone. But anyway, they were in North Dakota, heading South," I took a deep breath, trying to get as much information out in the open in as little time as I could. "They can be killed with silver, just like they're bigger, uglier cousins, but they don't turn on the full moon. They turn on the new moon, sometimes the last quarter, depending, I guess. They can also be killed with a normal knife, bullet, whatever, soaked in the blood of one of their 'fallen kittens', or so lore has it."

"Fallen kittens?" Dean asked skeptically.

"If we kill one, we can kill 'em all with the blood of the 'fallen' I guess," I said with a shrug. "Either way, the one I killed when I was a kid, was with a silver dagger to the heart," I said with another sigh. I slung the bag over my shoulder and hooked Sadie's leash to the harness, shaking my head. "Meet back at Bobby's?" I asked.

"Sure, but you're leading, I'll follow you," he said as he handed the file back to me. I grumbled to myself about the arrangement, but I knew Dean wouldn't let me out of his sight, not after just finding me.

"Stop bitching," he teased as he held the door open for me. I walked out into the parking lot and stomped over to the Comet. After tossing my bag in the trunk, I opened the door and pushed Sadie in. She looked sadly at Dean, who was walking towards the Impala, but didn't put up a fight. After closing the door, I walked around to my side of the car and leaned heavily against the door. My mind was everywhere but the case before us. I had way too much going on inside my head, and it was distracting me from the real reason I came to the Dakotas in the first place.

With a halfhearted sigh and a look in the general direction of the Impala, I slid into the drivers seat of the Comet, turned up the dial, letting "FMLYHM" by Seether blare throughout the car. I turned the key in the ignition and hit the gas, speeding out of the parking lot in a reckless, completely erotic manner. I watched at the Impala followed behind me, both relieved and scared at the exact same time.

Dean finding me had been both a blessing and a curse.

* * *

_A/n;; As always, reviews are appreciated! :D Hope you all had a great weekend! Next chapter shouldn't take so long to upload! :)_


	4. Chapter 3 - Sound of Madness

"Dammit!" I yelped as I slammed down on the brakes, swerving to avoid rear-ending the Impala. Dean's tactic to cut me off, rather than _call_ me almost resulting in a fender bender that I wasn't in the mood to hear about. Instead, the Comet, whose brakes hadn't been fixed in almost two years, ended up in a ditch, the back tired blown on a root I didn't have a chance to see. My chin hit the steering wheel, momentarily blinding me. Taking a deep breath, I yanked off my seat belt and slammed the door open, my heart pounding in my chest.

Sadie bounded out of the car, darting off into the distance. Too stunned to chase her, I leaned against the car, waiting for Dean to finally make his way through the roots and bushes to meet me. After a few minutes, he was at my side, apologizing for driving me off the road, explained that Sam wanted us to meet him at one of the diners a few miles from Bobby's. I grumbled and kicked the back tire, still shaken, too breathless to utter anything audible.

"You're riding with me then," he said with a shrug, as if it were the most obvious thing ever.

"And what about my car?" I grumbled.

"Bobby'll get it towed to his place," he said, again, as if it were obvious. I grumbled and walked to the trunk, popped the lock, and began shoving various guns, knives, bags of salt, you name it, into the two oversized duffel bags that I always kept in the truck 'just in case'.

"You know, we have a full arsenal in the Impala," Dean pointed out.

"I'm not going to let my stuff sit here, just waiting to be taken," I growled. I'd been raided twice before, and replacing some of the older, hand-altered guns and knives proved nearly impossible. Ever since, I refused to leave my car anywhere, with a fully packed trunk.

"At least let me carry them," he offered, flashing me one of those to die for smiles. With a sigh, I handed him the bags and called Sadie. To my surprise, the dog was no where to be found.

"Sadie!" I called, this time louder, my tone urgent. "C'mon Sades!"

"Where did she take off to?" Dean asked, looking around. The sun was beating down on us, but it didn't make much difference with the trees lining one side, the road on the other.

"I have no idea," I said worriedly. I locked the Comet, then started towards the trees. I listened carefully, holding my breath, waiting for the soft sounds of her footfalls or the light sounds of her pants. I heard neither. Instead, I heard the sounds of a bloodcurdling cry, one which only a great deal of pain could cause.

I felt Dean's hand lock on my shoulder, causing me to jump. Our eyes met for a single moment, enough time to know what the other was thinking. I took the lead, my steps careful, silent against the sounds of the woods. In one hand, I had a gun, one which was loaded with real bullets, in the other, I had a silver knife. No matter what we were against, we were prepared.

A second deafening cry echoed through the trees, this time, dropping off to a whimper, a whine of pain. My pace quickened, no longer concerned about trending silently. Dean was right behind me, his steps light, but audible. It took no more than five minutes to reach the spot where the cries were coming from. Laying in a mass of blood and fur, laid Sadie. Or rather, what was left of her. I tossed both the knife and gun to Dean, before collapsing to my knees, my hands searching for any ounce of life. My feeble attempts were wasted.

Sadie had been clawed, straight down her middle, her guts sprawled on the trees and grass around us. Her heart laid feet from her body. Her eyes, wide, but lifeless. I turned her over, and saw another set of claw marks, her skin and fur pealed from her body, blood still seeping into the ground where she laid.

I bit back the bitter scream that was growing in my chest, silent tears falling from my eyes. I hadn't noticed that Dean had left my side until he returned moments later, carrying a lock of what looked like animal fur. After closer examination, I knew, without a doubt, that it was mountain lion fur.

"Werecat," I said simply. There was no way a wild cat would attack a dog Sadie's size, and even if one had, she was strong enough to put up a good fight, one which we would have heard. No. Whatever had killed Sadie had done so quickly, without her ever standing a chance.

"Harley," Dean's voice broke through the silence. I looked up to see his green eyes locked on my face, a hand outstretched to help me up. I wiped my hands on the grass before taking his hand, letting him pull me to my feet. Under any other circumstances, such a gesture would have made me angry.

I walked ahead of him, in the direction of the parked Impala, suddenly overly aware that I was gasping for breath, sweat running down my forehead. I heard Dean approaching and held up my hand to stop him. I lowered it a second later, my hands falling to my knees as I doubled over, emptying my stomach contents all over the pavement. It took several attempts to finally settle both my heart and my stomach before I righted myself, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. I took one last shaking breath before turning to face Dean, who stood just a few feet away, his face masking all emotion. It seemed like that was how Dean coped these days – hiding all emotion.

"C'mon," he said simply, opening the passenger door for me. I slid in without a word, and waited as he loaded the bags into the trunk. He had had enough sense to retrieve my personal bag and laptop from the back seat of the Comet before getting in the seat beside me, his hand shaking as he put the key in the ignition. That was something I'd never seen before. Nothing made Dean shake. Nothing scared him.

I leaned my head against the cold glass of the window while he pulled away from the side of the road. He turned the radio off, letting the purr of the motor fill the silence.

Halfway to the diner, I felt Dean's hand grip mine, his warm skin sending a chill down my spine.

"I'm sorry about your dog," he said, his tone sincere.

"Yeah," I muttered. I let my eyes press tight, fighting back the tears.

"Really," he said, glancing in my direction.

"I know," I sighed. I slipped my shoes off and pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around my ankles. "I just hate it. All of it," I added, looking up.

"What do you mean?" he asked. I turned so my back was against the door, my knees still tucked to my chest.

"The life, the business, everything," I admitted. "I'm tired. Tired of losing people. Tired of watching everything I love, every_one_ I love dying," I added. I felt him pull the car over and waited as he turned it off. When he did, he turned to face me, his green eyes glossed with tears. I'd never really seen Dean cry before, not in all the years I'd known him.

"I know what you mean," he said softly. His hand reached for mine, clasping them between his own. I looked into his green eyes, for the first time ever, really seeing the depth and emotion they held. It took me a moment to break my gaze, but when I did, I felt myself blushing.

"I just wish it wasn't like this. I wish we could _just_ 'save people, hunt things', rather than lose the people we care about, you know?" I said with a sad sigh.

"I know," he said. He pulled me towards him, awkwardly hooking his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug. Which wasn't easy, considering the confined space.

"Ouch," I finally muttered, my knees digging painfully into the seat. He laughed and let me go, his hands still clasping mine.

"I'm glad I found you," he murmured.

That took me by surprise on so many levels. First of all, Dean was not the romantic type – never was. His father raised him to be a solider, and it was never in Dean's blood to be passionate. The luckiest a girl could get was a one night stand, maybe a phone call if he came to town again. Which never happened. Second, Dean wasn't the overly emotional type, at least, not in front of anyone other than Sam and _maybe_ Cas. Dean was the fearless, emotionless killing machine that got the job done, and did it well. He didn't have time for sappy 'chick flick' moments as he put it.

But in that moment, I saw a completely different side of Dean. A side that scared me. A side that made my heart skip beats, my stomach fill with butterflies, my breath catch in my throat.

In that moment, I fell in love.

* * *

"Here," Dean said as he pulled the Impala into the space next to what I knew was on of Bobby's older cars. Once the car stopped, I turned and grabbed my sweatshirt from the backseat, before pushing the door open. Dean followed close behind as I walked into the diner, searching the sea of faces for Sam.

"Over there," Dean said, pointing towards the booth in the back. I had to stand on my tip toes to see through the crowd, seeing Sam's familiar, long hair before anything else. I pushed my way through the people, losing Dean between two heavy set men. It took me a moment to finally come out on the other side, Dean only a few steps behind.

"About time," Sam complained, turning his laptop towards me. "There's another murder, this time, in South Dakota," he explained.

"I assumed as much," I sighed. I slid into the empty booth across from him, letting my eyes read the article. "Not far from where we were," I told Dean, who turned the laptop so he could read the page.

"Where do you think it's heading next?" Sam asked. I reached for the map he had in front of him, and tried to put together the pieces. It didn't help that my mind was elsewhere, on more important issues.

"What are ya having?" the waitress asked as she made her way over to our table. Dean ordered the usual – a bacon cheese burger. Sam ordered a salad, and I simply asked for a water.

"Holler if you change your mind," she said with a smile as she made her way back to the front of the diner.

"Not eating?" Sam asked, eying me suspiciously.

"Not hungry," I said with a shrug. Dean nodded at that, probably sensing my dilemma.

"Sade's dead," he explained for Sam.

"How?" Sam's tone took that of genuine concern.

"Werecat got 'er," I sighed. I nudged Dean, who stood up so I could get out of the booth. "I'll be right back," I said as an after thought.

It took me a few minutes to get through the crowd again. Only then did I realize that it was lunch hour, which explained why the normally quiet diner was buzzing. When I got outside, I walked over to the Impala and picked the lock – not that Dean wouldn't have given me the keys had I remembered to ask. I grabbed my purse from my bag and walked around to the back of the diner. I took out a pack of cigarettes and lit up.

I'd quit smoking almost four years ago, but with everything that had happened, I was back to my old habits. Drinking heavily until I passed out, smoking myself sick, avoiding sleep at all costs. It was the beginning of a downhill spiral that I couldn't see any way of stopping. I leaned against the wall, letting the nicotine take effect.

"You're too young to be smoking," a voice chimed, causing me to push away from the wall, turning to see who it belonged to. A man about 50 stood a few feet away, his hands fighting with a lighter. "Too pretty too," he added with a smile.

"I'm 22," I said truthfully. "Not that it's any of your business."

"No need to be snappy, lass," he chided. "What's got your panties in a tizzy?" he asked.

"Nothing," I lied. I took a long drag on the cigarette, silently wishing I had chosen a more private place to smoke and sulk.

"Now, come on child. You wouldn't be smoking if something wasn't bothering you, now would ya?" he asked. He took a step towards me, resulting in me taking a step back. My free hand inched towards my waistband, where my most prized silver switchblade was.

"Stay back," I growled, my tone nothing but vicious.

"Well now. You sure are a bitchy little thing," he laughed. He took another step towards me.

"I said, stay back!" I shouted. His hands came at my arm before I had a chance to unhook my blade. He slammed me against the wall, one hand holding mine behind my back, the other pressing down painfully on my throat.

"You listen real good, missy. I know who you are, and I ain't afraid to tow your ass into the slammer first chance I get," he growled. "You and your lot should move off, get 'way before I make you get gone," he added, pushing harder on my throat. I coughed and sputtered, trying to squirm out of his grip. That only caused him to get angrier, to put more pressure. Soon I was seeing spots, the last of the oxygen leaving my lungs.

"Get away from her!" a voice boomed. The man let me go, throwing me against the ground with enough force to do some real damage. I caught myself with my right hand before my head could hit the pavement. The man bolted, far faster than I would have expected for a man his age. I felt strong arms pull me forward.

"Harley?" the voice asked. It took me a few moments to realize it was Sam, his long hair framing his worried expression. "Har?"

"I'm good," I groaned. I couldn't tell what hurt worse, my wrist or my throat. After several shaky breaths, I held up my injured arm, trying to wiggle my fingers. "Shit," I gasped. Pain shot up my arm, knocking the breath straight out of me.

"Dean!" Sam shouted. I took a wild guess that Sam had told Dean to go after the man. Within a few seconds time, Dean was standing behind his brother, masking the same worried expression. "Pull the car around," Sam said urgently. He pulled me closer, so my head was resting against his broad chest. I let my eyes close, forcing myself to ignore the pain that shot through my arm with every beat of my heart. My chest hurt from the fight, my throat feeling as if it were closing.

"I'm going to pick you up now, okay?" Sam said in a gentle tone. I nodded against his chest, unable to make a sound. He lifted me up with little effort and laid me in the back seat of the Impala before getting in after me, leaning me up against his side.

"How bad is she?" Dean asked, turning to face us.

"She broke her wrist," Sam said, holding my right hand at an angle that made the pain subside, replacing it with a numb, dead feeling.

I gasped, trying to say something, but my throat refused to let enough air fill my lungs. I pressed my eyes shut, trying to swallow, to get just enough air so the dizziness would subside. That did no good though, only resulted in a coughing fit that left me even more breathless.

"Her throat," Dean said, pointing at me.

"Harley, can you breathe?" Sam asked, tilting my head so I was looking at him. I attempted to give him a look that would say, _No you idiot. My throat is swelling, _but instead, I only managed to shake my head once.

"Drive," Sam practically shouted. I felt the Impala pull away from the diner, the tires screaming in protest as Dean pressed down on the gas. The jolt was enough to send me reeling, and before long, I saw nothing but black. I couldn't even feel my own heartbeat.


	5. Chapter 4 - How To Save A Life

"If you just wake up," he begged for what seemed like the millionth time in the last 72 hours. "Please, just wake up."

The doctor said she was lucky to be alive. The strangulation caused the blood vessels in her throat burst, which was what caused the swelling. That wasn't the worst part. The doctors were yet to determine if she would suffer from severe brain damage. When both he and Sam explained what happened, it was determined that in total, she had gone over 5 minutes without oxygen, enough to do some serious and irreversible damage.

"Come on, Harley," Dean begged. He held her hand tightly, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Dean, why don't you try to get some sleep?" the nurse offered as she walked in to check Harley's vitals. "You're not going to do her any good for her if you're sick," she said softly.

"I'm not leaving," he grumbled. Sam had been trying to tell him the same exact thing for the past 24 hours, but Dean, being as stubborn as ever, refused.

Sam walked into the room then, and handed a coffee to his exhausted looking brother.

"Any news?" he asked the nurse, who was gawking at the taller, shaggy haired brother.

"Her vitals are stable for the time being, but still no brain response," she said with a sigh. "Keep talking to her. From what you've told me, she's strong, she'll pull through this," she added with a gentle tone.

Sam sat down in the chair adjacent to Dean after the nurse left the room, his eyes showing nothing but sadness.

"She's got to pull through, Sammy, she just has to," Dean whispered, his voice sad and hopeless.

"She will, Dean. Harley's one strong chick," Sam said with a sad smile.

* * *

"Your time's up," a voice came from behind me. I didn't turn, I didn't have to. I knew exactly who the voice belonged to.

"You're wrong," I replied with a shake of my head. I watched as tears fell from Dean's eyes, his hands locked tightly around my thin, cold fingers. "I can't leave him yet," I said with another shake of my head.

"You're as good as dead, Harley, you may as well accept it," the voice said with no emotion. I turned to face the source of the voice and found a tall, blonde haired, blue eyed woman standing before me. "Your time is up," she repeated.

"And let me guess, you're here to drag me to hell?" I asked.

"Something like that," she said with a sad smile. "You know what I am then?"

"I've dealt with my share of Reapers," I sighed.

"You know, your brother was so much easier to convince, but then, he could feel the pain rippling through his body. He actually begged to die," she chided.

"Shut up," I growled.

"Now, now, don't get your panties in a tizzy," she cackled. "Tick tock," she added, her eyes locking on my motionless body.

* * *

"She's crashing! We need a crash cart in here, stat!" the nurse's hoarse voice rang. Sam was holding Dean's arms tightly, keeping him locked in place while the nurses began CPR.

"I can't find a pulse!" one screamed, getting the attention of the doctor.

"Charging to 300," another nurse called. "Clear!"

It took several attempts before her heart began to beat again. A full ten minutes before the nurses relaxed, tilted her head back and crammed a tube down her throat to breathe for her. The doctor scribbled something on her chart before waving for both boys to follow him into the hall.

"Do something," Dean begged, tears in his bright green eyes.

"We're doing all we can, Dean. I need you both to prepare for the worst. Her brain is showing no signs of life. Right now, we're ready to pronounce her brain dead," he said softly, his voice dripping with sympathy, but lacking true emotion.

"No," he moaned. Sam placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, his own eyes glossy with tears.

"Is there anything you can do?" He asked.

"No. We can wait, but as it stands, the only reason she's alive is because of the machines breathing for her," he said.

"Then we'll wait," Dean growled. He pulled away from them and bolted down the hall, his shoulder's shaking with every silent sob.

* * *

"You're dead," the Reaper kept trying to convince me.

"And I'll be damned if I'm going with you," I growled.

"Then you'll be stuck here, in this hospital, for all eternity," she teased.

"Like hell I will," I growled. Sam was sitting beside my lifeless body, his hands clutching mine, begging me to keep fighting. I felt anger raising in my chest. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. I wasn't supposed to die yet.

I walked over to the nightstand next to my bed, where Sam's untouched cup of coffee sat. I reached for it, and to my surprise, it flew off the table, spilling all over the floor. Sam looked up, realization finally clicking.

"Harley?" he asked, his voice hoarse, tired.

"I'm right here, Sammy," I shouted, using Dean's nickname for him. In any other circumstance, it would have pissed Sam off. "I'm right here," I reached for him and laid a hand on his shoulder. I saw the shiver run up his spine.

"Harley, you can't die, Dean needs you," he begged. "Your body's right here, waiting for you,"

"I know," I said as loudly as I could. I knew it was hopeless, he couldn't hear me.

"You know, Harley, I've only seen Dean this broken up a handful of times. He never lets himself care about anything anymore. You broke something in him – in a good way. You can't let him down now. I don't know who needs who more, but I know you two are good for each other. Keep fighting," he said, squeezing my limp hand.

"I'll never let either of you down," I whispered. I let my hand brush against his cheek, a single tear slipping from his eyes. "I promise."

"Last chance, Harley, come with me, or walk these halls for the rest of eternity," the Reaper repeated for what felt like the millionth time.

"I'm not dying!" I screamed as I slammed my hand down on the bed where my body laid. To my surprise, I both felt and heard my heart rate pick up. I blinked, my eyes locking on the Reaper, who looked completely taken by surprise.

"Someone made a deal," she hissed angrily.

Suddenly, the world seemed to flicker, one minute I'm standing over my own body, the next, I'm choking on the tube that moments before had been breathing for me.

* * *

"I don't understand it," the doctor said with amazement. He stood over me with an expression of confusion and doubt. "You had no brain activity."

"It's a miracle," I shrugged, looking over at Sam, whose expression masked my own.

"Your friends, they didn't leave your side at all. I've seen the love of family bring people back from almost certain death before, but never like this," the nurse who was fixing my IV said with a smile. She patted my leg softly and adjusted my broken wrist so it was resting softly on a pillow. "Honey, you sure do have angels watching over you," she added with a kind smile.

"We're going to keep you here a few more days for observation, but if you stay...well...normal? Is that a good word? We'll have you discharged by the weekend," he said with a friendly smile. "Rest up, kiddo."

The nurse followed him out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. The moment the door closed, I was out of the bed, dragging the IV with me. I winced at the sight of the needle in my arm, but forced myself to ignore it.

"Dean Winchester," I growled. He looked at me with wide, frightened eyes. "Don't you dare let me find out..." Sam waved to cut me off.

"Dean never left the hospital," he said quickly. "Neither of us did," he added.

"Who else knew?" I asked, my voice breaking. A wave of dizziness blinded me, causing me to grab aimlessly at the closest thing. Sam's arm just happened to be said thing. Gripping it tightly for a moment with my left hand, my right, motionless at my side. Once the spell passed, I blinked and pulled away, letting my eyes fall on Dean's expression. "Who else knew?" I asked again.

"Bobby, but he's not stupid enough to make a deal," Dean said matter-of-factly. And he was right. Bobby was the one person I could trust never to do something as stupid as sell his soul to a demon. I sighed and lowered myself into the chair Dean had been sitting in only hours before. My head hurt from thinking, but the Reapers words kept haunting me. _Someone made a deal._

"Caden's dead," I reminded myself. "He's the only one foolish enough to make a deal. He's the only one desperate enough to go above and beyond to keep me alive," I sighed. "But he's been dead for...3 weeks now."

"Exactly," Sam said, beginning to pace. "Maybe the Reaper was wrong?"

"When was the last time you met a Reaper who was wrong?" Dean and I asked at the exact same time.

"Well, either way, you're alive," Sam pointed out.

"You're right. First things first, get me out of this god awful hospital!" I yelped. I always hated hospitals. Even as a child, they gave me the creeps.

Sam was about to say something when I cut him off.

"I'm not staying here," I said quickly. "I hate hospitals."

He didn't fight me on the matter, but I saw him and Dean exchange a glance that bothered me. Disregarding it, I turned to face the nightstand, where I saw my clothes had been neatly folded. I grabbed them off the stand and pulled on my jeans, struggling with only one good hand. I gave Dean a desperate look, and mouthed one simple word. _Help. _Dean couldn't help but laugh as he pulled my jeans up for me and buttoned the stubborn button. I pulled on my shirt with a lot more ease, happy to be in my own, comfortable clothing. Sam held my sweatshirt open for me as I slipped my arms through and struggled with the zipper. I was right handed, and the whole left handed gig wasn't working too well. I managed to zip it up half way and settled with it like that while I pulled my hair into a messy ponytail, not even bothering to ask for a comb.

"Follow my lead," I said as I slipped a diamond ring onto my finger. "Did you give 'em last names?" I asked.

"We gave them Smith for you," Sam shrugged. Generic, perfect.

We walked out into the bright hallway, Dean keeping one arm wrapped protectively around my waist, which was exactly what I had hoped he'd do. As we approached the front desk, the nurse who had been there when I woke up jumped out of her chair.

"Harley, you shouldn't be out of bed," she scolded.

"Ma'am, I mean no disrespect, but I'm feeling fine. I'd really appreciate it if you'd let me sign out," I said calmly.

"Well I can't rightly do that. You heard the Doctor, you're here another couple of nights for observation," she said with a shake of her head.

"Well while I appreciate your concern, my father in law's a doctor, and he'll keep an eye on me," I said with a smile. "My husband," I said with a nod in Dean's direction "Already called him and set it all up. I promise you, first sign of trouble and he'll have me back here faster than any ambulance in the world," I said with a bright smile. I held out my hand, showing her the ring. "We're supposed to be on our honeymoon, come on now, you really don't want me spending the best week of my life in the hospital, now do you?" I asked, plastering an innocent expression on my face.

"I didn't realize she was your wife," the nurse said with a shocked expression. "Well congratulation to the two of you," she added with a bright smile. "And he's your brother?" she asked, nodding at Sam.

"Brother in law," I corrected. "We've known each other since we were kids," I added for a better measure. She smiled at that and handed me my discharge forms.

"Fill these out and come back in six weeks for another set of x-rays and if your wrist is all healed up, we'll take the cast off," she said, then turned to tend to her other patients. I smiled and signed the papers in a completely unreadable print, due to my lack of a right hand. I tossed the clipboard on the desk and made a beeline for the front door.

Once outside, I pulled away from Dean and laughed.

"You had that all planned out, didn't you?" Dean asked. He had a look on his face that I couldn't quite place. "And where'd the ring come from?"

"My mom's wedding ring. She gave it to me after my dad was killed," I said with a shrug. "And I couldn't exactly say I was married to Sam," I said with a smile in his direction. "Sam didn't spend over 3 days begging me not to die."

"Hey," Sam looked insulted.

"You know what I mean," I teased.

"It was pretty convincing," Dean laughed.

"Well duh, she's been eying the two of you the whole time she was sticking the damn needle in my arm. I could tell she was one of those love-struck nurses, who probably haven't seen any action in more time than they'd ever admit. So the whole 'We're on our honeymoon, please have mercy,' gig worked _exactly_ as planned," I beamed.

Both boys shook their heads. We finally made it to the Impala, and Sam held the door open for me before sliding in after.

"Back to Bobby's?" Sam suggested.

"Sure beats a motel," I laughed. I was more than ready to deal with what was, rather than run from my past.

_Or so I thought. _


End file.
